This invention is concerned with security of lockers, safes, or other such storage devices assigned for temporary or long-term use. In particular, the invention relates to an electronic keypad-activated lock for such storage situations.
Electronic digital locks are well known. For example, hotel safes for temporary use by guests have included digital locks with keypads for use by the guest. In some cases, the guest was able to select his own combination for the digital lock. In other cases, a combination sequence has been pre-assigned to electronic locks, with the combination sequence not under the control of the user.
The following U.S. Patents are believed to have some relevance to this invention: U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,561 (Johnson), U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,282 (Gartner), U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,776 (Anderson), U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,345 (Gartner), U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,445 (Beatty), U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,540 (Remington), U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,511 (Wagner), U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,065 (Martin), U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,213 (Merroni), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,164 (Zorzy).
There has been a need for a digital electronic lock of relatively inexpensive construction with more versatility as to use on various standard locker designs, modularity as to assembly and opposite-hand use, easy programmability as to selected combination sequence, and convenience and simplicity to the user. These are goals of the present invention described below.